No Time For Ducking
by Godricgal
Summary: It's early days in Remus' and Tonks' budding relationship. Just how serious is it? With their respective responsibilities to the Order, will they find the time for their relationship to move forward?
1. Chapter 1

_This story is the sequel to Of Mischief and Responsibility. Pre-reading isn't necessary, but this fic picks up not long after the last left off, and does give a bit of background. Very many thanks to **MrsTater**, for her superb beta work. _

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**No Time For Ducking, Chapter 1 **

"I am sorry about that," said Remus over his shoulder as he walked down the front steps of Grimmauld Place, his old summer jacket swinging loosely from one hand.

Tonks, who had just finished fumbling with the door handle, turned and replied, "You don't need to apologise for Sirius. He's a git, he can't help it. At least he was just subtle enough that the kids didn't cotton on. Although Molly sent me a few questioning glances."She bounded down the steps, almost losing her balance, but managing to grab Remus' arm and plant a kiss on the end of his nose. "Now, come on, where you are you going to take me for this walk?"

"How about a romantic evening stroll along the Serpentine?" he asked, leading her to the dingy alley a few houses down from Number Twelve. Once they were safely away from any prying eyes, he slipped his arms around her, locking his hands at the small of her back.

She wound her arms around his neck. "Mmm, sounds perfect to me," Tonks replied in a low voice as she leaned up for a kiss.

"Hold on tight then," he murmured against her lips, before turning them both, leaving Grimmauld Place empty but for the reverberating crack of their Disapparition.

The contraction of Apparition served only to push their bodies closer together. Remus couldn't help but be keenly aware of every one of her curves pressed up against him. The heady rush of her lips moving against his intensified as they arrived at their destination.

Kissing whilst Apparating wasn't something that Remus could say he'd experienced before, but he found that it was something he really wouldn't mind trying again.

Tonks didn't seem particularly keen for the kiss to end, which was fortunate, since Remus found himself completely and utterly lost in the sensation of her lips and tongue moving in time with his. Her body, small and supple, so close to his, spurring him on as his hands roamed up and down her back.

The shriek of a child's laughter pieced the air, and Remus realised that if they were going to have any degree of success in taking an evening walk, they were going to have to stop their kiss very, very soon. After a few gentle kisses, and then a few more, Remus pulled away. He noted a glazed, dreamy expression in her eyes -- which was no doubt mirrored in his own eyes -- and marvelled once again that he had been the one to put it there.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Tonks glanced around the small clearing they stood in, surrounded by low trees and holly bushes. "Where are we exactly?"

"Not far from West Carriage Drive. No one would ever come back here, so it's safe to Apparate."He reluctantly released her from the circle of his arms, but caught hold of her hand. "Come on, this way," he said, pulling her gently to lead her through the shrubbery.

Remus stepped over the fence himself and then turned to help Tonks. He watched as she stepped onto the bottom rung of the fence, steadying herself with one hand on the post and the other firmly gripping his own hand. She stumbled over the fence, but lost her balance only slightly as her feet hit the ground.

"This way?" she asked, pointing towards a gentle slope.

"Indeed," said Remus, threading his fingers through hers as they set off towards the lake.

Mid-evening sunbeams streamed though gaps in the trees and reflected off leaves, creating a carpet of dappled light that danced in the light breeze. Nearby, the grass had been recently mown, infusing the air with the scent of an English summer.

As they walked, Remus and Tonks talked lightly, and caught up on the events of last few days, their assignments and recent news. Their low voices mingled with the laughter and chatter of others enjoying the park; the families with picnic blankets and hampers, the young men, kicking a football around or throwing a Frisbee – the occasional shriek of a bare footed young woman who'd joined in these games.

Tonks sighed and leaned into Remus as he let go of her hand to drape his arm about her waist. "I love summer," she said. "Everyone's just so happy and free."

"The boys and I used to come here a lot after we'd left Hogwarts; it was the best substitute we could find for the grounds and the lake there. No giant squid of course, but you can't have everything."He paused to listen to the light chuckle from Tonks. How he loved to be the person who made her laugh. "James and Sirius used to wind Peter up with stories of a giant snake in the lake, but I think even Peter knew that they were making it up."

Tonks laughed again, but her face became serious as she fell silent. Remus glanced down and noted the thoughtful expression on her face. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

There was a slight pause before she asked, "Do you mind if I ask you something about Peter?"

Remus hesitated, thinking that it entirely depended upon what she was going to ask, but he didn't want to refuse her, so he found himself saying: "Not at all."

"It's just that when Sirius talks about the Marauders, he'll include Peter, but always follow his name with something venomous. When you talk about him, it's almost as if you're talking about a different person." Her gaze dropped, and she bit her lower lip before asking in a soft, hesitant voice, "Yet Sirius has told me that you were just as ready to kill him a year ago."

Remus tensed. _That_ was not a subject that he wanted to talk about. Tonks must have sensed it, because she stopped walking, putting her hand firmly on his arm, and looked directly into his eyes. "That's not a judgement, Remus."

He searched her eyes. They shone with clarity, and when she raised her hand to cup his cheek, he knew from her touch and her unfaltering gaze that she was speaking sincerely. "I didn't mean to upset you," she said. "If someone I'd called a friend had done the atrocious things that he did to people I loved, I think it's quite possible I'd have the same reaction. Anyone would."

He nodded, and they turned to continue walking towards the lake, his arm now sliding up to curl around her shoulders, drawing her closer against his side. He wasn't quite sure what to say, but he had to say something. He didn't want her feeling badly because she thought she'd upset him and he couldn't have her thinking of him as some tragic figure who had to be tip-toed around; he wanted her to be able to ask him anything. He settled upon answering her original question.

"I think it's because Sirius spent thirteen years with the knowledge that the person who'd betrayed us had got off scot-free, not to mention framed him for the very last crime he'd ever commit. He had all those years for hate to fester and grow, and allow the boyhood friend and the traitor to become the same person. Try as I might, I can't reconcile the two. There is Peter, the friend I grew up with, who struggled so hard to keep up with Sirius and James as they learned to become Animagi, And there is Peter the traitor, who I met for the first time in the Shrieking Shack and has since borne a prominent role in our current crisis." He glanced down at her. "Does that make sense?"

"It does," Tonks said quietly.

He squeezed her shoulder and smiled as she leant her head gently against his chest.

They'd reached the lake by now, it shimmered a pale shade of blue, the water disturbed by the passage of geese, ducks and moor hens. The occasional sea gull called into the breeze.

"Shall we sit down for a bit, enjoy the last of the sun before it gets too low?" Remus suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea."

Remus led her to the side of one of the small boat houses. He fished inside the pocket of the light jacket he'd been carrying, grasped his wand, and with it still concealed within the folds of the fabric, cast a light Cushioning Charm on the hard floor. Then, making sure that his wand would not be sat on, laid the jacket over the area he'd cast the charm on and gestured to Tonks to take a seat.

"Comfy," she commented, leaning back to rest against the side of the boat house.

He seated himself beside her, their shoulders and thighs touching, and took one of her hands in his, entwining their fingers and settling their joined fist in his lap.

"You couldn't ask for a more perfect evening, really, could you?"

Remus lifted their hands and kissed the back of hers. Looking her straight in the eyes, he said "Icouldn't ask for a more perfect evening." He hoped she understood his meaning.

Apparently she did, because she reached up to gave his a soft, lingering kiss and then pulled back to smile at him softly.

A reel of uproarious laughter-like quacks resounded from somewhere not too far behind them. "I love it when they do that full-on quack thing. They just sound so happy, like they want to tell the world about it," Tonks said laughing, sounding very much like she was every bit as happy as she thought the duck was.

"I can't say I've ever thought about duck contentment before," Remus said, amused, and enjoying the sound of her own contentment. He'd discovered early on in their acquaintance that the sound her laugh was one of life's true pleasures. "But now that you mention it, I think you're right."

"Mum could keep me amused for hours when I was a kid by giving me a loaf of bread and taking me to a ducky-type location."

"A ducky-type location? Is that an official –" He cast around for the right word. "Duck term?" he asked, shrugging.

"Duckology," said Tonks, nodding seriously.

He began to laugh, and then even harder as Tonks fought to maintain her serious expression. He watched as the corners of her mouth fought a determined battle not to give into the laughter he could see bubbling in her eyes. She didn't last long.

As their laughter receded, Remus reached over to pull her sideways to settle between his thighs. She leant back against his chest and he wrapped both his arms around her, dropping a kiss in her hair.

"You are very silly, you know."

"I know," she said, laughing slightly. "I think I'm in good company, though."

"This might be true," he said, thinking that she really did know how to bring out his sillier side, and how much he'd enjoyed that, in the weeks since he'd met her, and even more so since they had become a couple. He loved that they _could_ be silly together.

"Look out," he said, pointing towards the end of the boat house, where it jutted out into the water. "I think we've got a visitor."

"Wotcher, Mr. Goose," said Tonks. The goose that had swum around the corner tilted his head from left to right as he regarded her, almost questioningly. "I'm sorry, we don't have anything for you. Those people look like they've got a morsel or two though," she told the goose. "Why don't you have a swim up there?"She pointed towards the bridge, where a young family had attracted quite a crowd of geese and ducks as they tossed bread into the water.

"Have you always made a habit of talking to water fowl?"Remus asked.

"Mmm," She nodded emphatically. "Usually give 'em names, too. It's difficult to name geese though," she continued, quite seriously.

"Oh, why's that?"

"They all look the same," she said.

"I see," said Remus, thoughtfully. "I suppose that begs two questions." He grinned as she raised her eyebrows at him. "Firstly, why does that mean you can't name them, and secondly, don't all ducks look the same, too?"

"What's the point in naming them if I can't tell them apart?" she said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Good point," Remus conceded, with slight nod.

"Some ducks look alike, but others have distinctive features, and that's how I choose the name. For example, I knew a very naughty duck once by the name of White Duck."

Remus couldn't help but burst out laughing, tightening his arms around her, and burying his face in her neck.

Though his laughter, completely without thought, he heard himself say, "I love you."

They both froze.

Remus knew it was true, but Merlin… six weeks! What on earth would she think? Was there any way to recover from such a thoughtless revelation, without ruining what they had?

Slowly, Tonks sat up and turned towards him, coming to rest on her knees, still tucked between his legs. She fixed him with imploring eyes that seemed to speak directly to his heart. "Did you mean that?" she whispered.

Under that gaze, it was impossible to be anything less that completely honest with her. "I did," he said very quietly. "I know it's so very soon, and I didn't mean to say it, but I do." He reached up to touch her cheek. "I do."

His heart pounded, and he almost couldn't bear to watch, but he couldn't take his eyes away, either. She laid her hand on top of his and pressed his hand more firmly to her face for a moment, before she pulled it away slightly and placed a kiss on his palm.

"I love you, too," she said, her eyes never leaving his.

In that moment, it was as though the world was standing still, and the sounds of the park fell away. Nothing and no one existed but the two of them, as their lives unravelled and reformed as one.

In slow motion, it seemed, they both leaned forward to seal their words with a kiss that spoke of promise.

When they pulled away, he folded her into his arms. She sat once again between his legs, this time, her legs curled beside his thighs, as he cradled her against his chest, stroking her hair and pressing the occasional kiss to her forehead, or in her hair.

They sat like that for a long time, in silence, but it was every bit as satisfying as any conversation, or kissing session. He felt calm and joyful as, through their silence, they communicated their thoughts by the way they held each other. Remus thought again the evening truly couldn't have been more perfect. He was sitting here on the shore of a beautiful lake, the air was warm and calm. In his arms was the woman he loved -- the woman who loved him, and in the distance was –

They both collapsed into laughter as the duck quacked his farewell to the sun as it disappeared behind the trees.

When their laughter died, Remus found himself saying, "I'm sorry I got a bit uptight earlier."He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's okay, I shouldn't have mentioned it. Mum's forever telling me off for being too nosey," Tonks answered, giving his hand a squeeze, lifting it to her lips and pressing a soft kiss on his knuckles.

"You have a right to ask any question you want of me, Nymphadora. Now more than ever," he said gently. "I will tell you about that night, one day. After all, it's wasn't all bad. It was the night I got Sirius back."

"I'd like that," she said, almost in a whisper, running the back of her hand down the side of his face, and then settled her head back against his chest. "Thank you," she added. He wondered if she had any idea how it made him feel that she should thank him for offering to share with her a part of his history, that she would want to know about his life.

"I don't want to leave you tonight," she mumbled into his shirt.

"I was just thinking the same thing," he replied softly, thrilled that she was as loathe to be separated from him as he was with her. "Will you stay with me at Grimmauld tonight?" She nodded slightly and tightened her embrace.

"On second thoughts," Tonks said, reaching up to kiss him. "Maybe we ought to stay at mine. Merlin only knows what Sirius would have to say if we bumped into him."

"That," Remus said against her lips, "is a very good point." And then he kissed her.

Five minutes later, they were headed back up the slope, debating whether or not Sirius would find it more amusing to discover them on their way to Remus' bedroom, or to discover that Remus hadn't come home at all.

**_To be continued…_**

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**_Author's Notes: This story will have a second chapter, I hope to have it posted within a fortnight, so if you enjoyed this chapter, look out for it. To all who review, I will of course, offer the chance to take an evening stroll with Remus. Whether you choose to engage in silly conversations about 'Duckology' is entirely up to you. ;)_**


	2. Chapter 2

**No Time for Ducking, Chapter 2**

Sitting on the sofa, snuggled against Remus and sipping a glass of wine, Tonks felt comfortable, content. Her legs were draped over his, and his arm was wrapped around her shoulder. His fingers, with a feather-light touc trailed up and down her arm, occasionally venturing further up across her shoulder, leaving tingles in their wake as they swept slowly up her neck and twisted into her hair. It felt so right to be with him like this, to have him in her home, in her life, to have him talking to her about _his_ life.

The sound of Remus' voice had always stirred something in Tonks. To arrive at Grimmauld Place and hear his distinctive hoarse tones rising from the basement kitchen would inevitably invoke a thrill of excitement that started in the tummy and spread, warming the rest of her body. When he spoke at Order meetings, she felt helplessly reduced to the state of a love-struck teenager, as she hung on to his every word. She had to admit that she found his calm, quiet authority deeply attractive, but more than that, it made her proud to be able to call herself his girlfriend, a feeling that swelled in her chest until she thought she might burst from it. She sometimes wondered if the others spotted the way her eyes never left his face during meetings, as she took in the way his lips moved, and was held captivated by the focused, yet open, expression in his eyes. But she liked it best when he spoke to her in a slightly lower, slightly softer voice that was accompanied by a candour that mirrored in his eyes -- and which he seemed to reveal only to her. It was private, intimate, and only for them, and she loved it.

And all that was before tonight, before she'd known what it was like to hear that voice say he loved her. The thrill that she'd got from that unexpected revelation lingered still; she wasn't sure it would ever leave -- she hoped it wouldn't.

With two hands, she clutched her wine glass, resting it in her lap, her thumb idly brushing across the cool surface of the glass.

She smiled slightly, not only because of what he was saying and how he was saying it, but because she'd achieved a personal victory tonight. While Remus had never been reticent with her, he'd always had a tendency to steer the topic of conversation toward her. Tonight, she'd kept him talking by asking questions, and now he'd reached a point where he was offering information freely. In fact, he'd seemed quite happy during the past hour as he recounted tales of his travels. Of course, Tonks would have found him interesting had he been describing the ins and outs of Flobberworm farming.

But he wasn't talking about Flobberworm farming; he was talking about how he'd spent the years between wars. Tonks might be an Auror – excitement was not an alien concept to her – but Remus' adventures abroad seemed to make her life to date rather dull. Not that he made her feel unworldly, or inferior.

There was no air of superiority in the way he talked, he'd seen more of the world than your average witch or wizard and picked up a staggering amount of information along the way. Tonks, having a competitive streak, often found that she didn't like to admit when she was being told something she didn't already know, but with Remus, it was all so different. She wanted to learn from him and would have felt no discomfort in asking him about anything.

He held her attention as he spoke softly of following the Silk Road in China, visiting the famous and ancient markets in Kashgar that led to the first western embassies in China being constructed there; ending up at Lake Karakul and catching a glimpse of a Chinese Fireball in the surrounding mountains at the border with Kirgizstan.

His story telling was compelling, delivered in a matter of fact, unassuming, yet easily descriptive manner. He dropped odd snippets into the conversation that embellished his tales without flaunting his not inconsiderable knowledge.

She sometimes felt like she'd met her match in this man; he could satisfy her need for intelligent and interesting conversation and yet, when in the mood, they could resort to silliness -- as they had earlier, just before he'd let slip that he loved her. And at other times, she was so very much in awe of him that she sometimes had to work to believe that he wanted her. She knew he sometimes worried about their age difference, and she'd explained more that once that his experience only made him more attractive to her. No boy her age could possibly be enough for her.

As she listened to him, letting his familiar, hoarse, voice wash over her, she couldn't decide whether she wished the night would never end, or whether she couldn't wait for the next morning when she would wake up beside him for the very first time. Or perhaps she couldn't wait for the rest of their lives. Because that's what _I love you_ meant, wasn't it? A hope, a desire, for a future together.

She marvelled at how much had changed in her life in the short weeks since she met him. Her days were no longer dominated by work and evening solitude, but filled with fun, and love, and now, the promise of future happiness. Listening to him now, she hoped fervently that he could one day show her the things and places he spoke of.

Still holding the glass in both hands, she raised it to her lips and took a sip, nearly spilling it as she laughed at a detail Remus had just tossed in about the Chinese markets.

"A donkey park?" Tonks asked.

"Yes, many of the traders arrive with their goods on donkeys; there are even signs that warn against parking cars in the area."

Tonks giggled. "That gives me all sorts of images of rows of donkeys with the little Pay and Display stickers on their noses."

The adorable expression of confusion of Remus' face made Tonks want to ruffle his hair. "Pay and Display stickers?" he asked.

"You know, in Muggle car parks, they have those little machines you put the coins in, then they give you a sticker to put in the window of the car to show that you've paid."

An expression of comprehension dawned on Remus' face and he chuckled lightly. "Perhaps one day I can take you there and you can make the suggestion to the people who run the markets."

Wildly happy that Remus would think about taking her to China, she answered, "I'm not sure the donkeys would appreciate getting sticky noses."

"I suspect you may be right there." He leaned forward slightly to pluck his glass from the table and took a sip.

"You're lucky to have had the opportunity to travel so much," Tonks commented.

"The one great advantage of minimal employment prospects and the gift of Apparition," Remus replied with a smile, placing his glass back on the table.

He said it without a trace of resentment. It was one of the many, many reasons she fallen so hard for him so quickly: after everything he'd faced -- the trauma of each full moon, the social stigma of his condition, and the ruthless prejudice that prevented a normal life – he never once had given up, or spent time wallowing in self pity; he made the best of everything.

"You always look on the bright side, don't you?" Tonks said, reaching up to brush her fingers down his cheek.

Remus caught her hand as her fingers reached his chin. "I try to," he said, and then bought her hand to his mouth to place a kiss on her knuckles, just barely tasting her skin. Her heart thudded in her chest as she wondered how the simplest of kisses could set her insides on fire with such intensity. "It seems like there are only bright sides now," he continued. His gaze contained an energy which, combined with his words, forced an overwhelming rush of love for him to rise in her chest.

She couldn't think of anything to say, but desperately needed to express how he made her feel, or she would surely burst. So she leaned forward and kissed him, softly, slowly. But it wasn't enough, she wanted to touch him, explore his face with her fingers, press her body into his and feel his warmth. She pulled back and offered him what she knew must be a slightly dazed smile.

She reached over and set her wine glass on the coffee table next to Remus'. Placing a hand on his thigh for support, she lifted her legs over his to stretch them along the sofa. Remus swung his legs up beside hers and, wrapping both his arms around her, slid them further down the sofa, pulling her slightly on top of him and settling his hands at her waist.

Propping herself up on his chest with a forearm, her body hummed with anticipation as she looked down at him, her eyes roving over his face, absorbing the slight curve of his lips as he looked back up at her, the sparkle in his eyes that hinted of desire. His eyes flickered to her lips and back up again, making her heart flutter wildly. He held her tightly against him, both their bodies gently rose and fell in time with his breathing. They'd lain like this before, but there was something different. Maybe he was holding her closer. Was there perhaps something more open in his gaze? Or did she just feel closer to him, and was reading his expressions more keenly?

Slowly, he ran both his hands firmly up her back, pressing her body down to his as one of her hands curled around his neck and the other reached out to cup his cheek. When he reached her shoulders, he turned his hands over and brushed the tops of his fingers up each side of her neck, eliciting the most delicious tingles the length of her body and a sharp intake of breath.

Hands twisting in her hair, Remus pulled her head down towards him, until their lips were a hairs breadth apart. Tonks' head was spinning, her breathing shallow as yearning to close the gap between them pulsed though her, but she waited for him.

She could feel Remus' heart beating beneath her own. His warm breath tickled her lips. It was all so tantalising -- and all so very deliberate. She wanted nothing more but to lean forward and close the ever so slight distance between them, but his hands held her head in place, thumbs scuffing her cheeks softly.

"Tease," she breathed.

"Maybe," he answered, moving even closer -- how was it possible that his lips were still not touching hers? His voice was less flirtatious, and lowered to a more earnest tone when he continued, "But I love you."

Her heart swelled; hearing those words uttered against her lips sent another lightning bolt of emotion straight through her, just as she was thinking she couldn't possibly wait any longer, he was tilting his chin up slightly and pressing his lips to hers.

And it was _heaven_.

His lips -- always so warm and soft -- moved slowly over hers. However either of them moved, accommodating, adjusting, they seemed to just fit. Hands touched faces, entwined in hair, and low murmurs of appreciation rumbled between them.

Coherent thinking became almost impossible, she was left with the vague notion that no other man had ever even come close to making her feel the way Remus did. Not that she'd ever said _I love you_ before; she supposed that must be a factor in the difference. Complete trust, total openness...they were powerful feelings, and as their bodies fitted together, their minds seemed to align, their earlier declaration of love repeated again and again in kisses and wondering hands.

Remus rolled them so that his body now covered hers, pressing her into the sofa. Tonks shifted slightly so that he came to rest between her thighs. Her body arched and she let out a soft moan as his lips left hers to trail a path of wet kisses to the hollow of her throat and then down to the low cut of her camisole top. Light, teasing kisses left her shivering with pleasure, and wondering vaguely how far they were going to take this, and whether she could possibly stop even if she wanted to -- which she wasn't sure she did.

Wanting to kiss him again, she moved her hand to cup his cheek and guided his face back to hers. Driven by desire, they exchanged intensely fiery kisses. One of his hands played in her hair and the other was occupied with tracing indiscernible patterns on her side that made her stomach clench and her breathing hitch.

When his fingers rose and traced the side of her breast, dragging a thumb over the slight rise of her nipple beneath the thin cotton top, she grasped his hips with both hands and a sharp breath escaped her as instinctively she pressed her hips up into his, wrapping both of her legs tightly around his, hooking her feet under his thighs, and melting slightly at the appreciate moan that rumbled deep in Remus' throat.

Her hands sort out the hem of his tee-shirt, working their way underneath with the intention of lifting it off--

_Tap tap _

Breaking their kiss, Tonks, chest heaving, lifted her head to look over Remus' shoulder at the window, and then flopped back to the sofa with a groan.

"There's an owl," she said, scrunching her face up in annoyance as she worked to catch her breath.

Remus lifted his head and turned, stretching awkwardly to look in the same direction. "So there is," he replied, turning back and letting his head rest on her shoulder for a moment.

"Maybe it's just a note from Mum about that infernal tea party she's having this weekend." Tonks said hopefully, thinking that however irritating her mother's constant stream of reminders had been over the last month, since she'd first arranged it, that it would be infinitely more preferable to an Order summons, or worse, the Ministry.

Remus raised her eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, I know, not likely," she said with a sigh.

_Tap tap _

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Remus made to sit up, but Tonks had to say something first and halted his movement by tightening her legs around him and pressing her hands into his lower back.

He looked down at her with an expression that was a mixture of amusement and question, and which did nothing to arrest the spread of warmth that came from the renewed closeness of their lower bodies.

Resisting the urge to fumble for her wand and hex the owl into next Sunday so that they could resume their previous activities, Tonks lifted her head and placed a single kiss on his cheek, whispering, "I love you, too" in his ear before pulling back and loosening the grip of her legs on him, letting her arms flop to her sides.

In spite of his apparent chagrin at having been interrupted -- for the second time that day, she reminded herself -- Remus grinned at her. Sitting up, coming to rest on his knees between her legs, he ran his hands down her thighs to her knees where he took her hands and pulled her into a sitting position.

Tonks watched from the sofa as Remus walked over to the window, threw up the sash and handed the owl in. It hooted at him with an air of annoyance, and offered its leg impatiently.

"Believe me," Remus told it, "you are not the only one put out, and not the only one who wants this over quickly."

"There are some owl treats on the windowsill there," Tonks offered, oddly pleased, and unable to resist a little chuckle at Remus' obvious irritation at having been interrupted.

He untied the parchment from the bird's leg, offered it a treat and shooed it out the window, watching for a moment as it soared into the dusty sky. Turning his attention to the rolled up parchment, Tonks watched as Remus' expression collapsed into a scowl.

"Sirius," he muttered scathingly. "And I thought he was of the opinion that our alone time was very much needed."

Despite sharing Remus' impatience to resume their previous occupation, Tonks couldn't help but giggle. He was adorable. She kept her eyes trained on his face as he unravelled the missive. But her amusement faded into increasing discomfort as his expression changed from annoyance, to concern, to a distinct look of anger. When he raised his head, and met her eyes, his face was pale and his hand clenched the note.

"Remus," she said, fear encroaching, "what is it?"

"Here." He crossed the room and offered the parchment to her. "Read for yourself, then, I'm afraid we have some work to do."

**_To be continued..._**

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**_Author's Notes: I apologise for the delay in getting this up, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same. Very many thanks to those of you who left lovely comments for the last chapter. This time reviewers get to choose between a Remus who will furnish you with all sorts of anecdotes from his travels, or one who prefers the non-verbal form of communication and simply wants to kiss the night away. ;) _**

**_The Christmas Moon Fic Advent at MetamorFicMoon kicks of this Friday, the 1st of December. If you're a writer, there is still time to sign up. Writer or reader, it promises to be a month of fantastic festive fan fic, so do drop by and have a read. You will find the link at my Live Journal, the link to which in my homepage in my profile. _**


	3. Chapter 3

As the last owl of the night soared out the window and into the dark, midnight blue sky, littered with stars and presided over by a perfect half-moon, Remus pushed his chair away from the desk and leant back with a sigh, stretching his arms over his head. He glanced over at Tonks, who was sat slumped over the small, circular kitchen table, her head rested on folded arms.

It had been a disappointing end to the evening for both of them. As he registered her slack and tired posture, a knot of resentment formed in his stomach; it stung that he' not been able to give Tonks the perfect ending to a very special day.

He had no doubt that their earlier declarations had meant as much to Tonks as it had -- did -- to him and, in both their minds, moved their relationship into entirely new and exciting -- heady -- territories.

But, he reminded himself, as guilt began to recede, this was how it would likely be for the foreseeable: their time together would be snatched moments between their responsibilities as Auror and Order members.

_Dementors_.

He still couldn't believe it.

Dementors, in Little Whinging.

Dementors, in Little Whinging, during the one and only time Harry had been left unprotected since the summer holidays had begun.

And why on earth _had_ they attacked Harry? Logic supposed that Voldemort must have something to do with it, that he'd begun to court the loyalty of the Dementors away from the Ministry. But something niggled, a slight ambiguity of wording in one of Dumbledore's communications that suggested the Ministry might have orchestrated this scenario -- yet another attempt to discredit Harry, and through him, Dumbledore.

It seemed preposterous to Remus -- surely the Ministry wasn't ready to sink to such depths, certainly not with The Boy Who Lived -- but his innate trust in Dumbledore meant he had to give the theory at least a passing thought.

Giving one final stretch, this time accompanied by a yawn, he resolved to think no more of it tonight, and instead, to make a concerted effort to focus the rest of the evening -- short as it would be -- on his quite new, but altogether thrilling, relationship with the young woman he'd so recently pledged his love to.

He stood and crossed the short space between the desk and table. Her eyes blinked open sleepily as he approached, and she offered a small smile. He liked to think that small was intimate and that smile only for him.

"All finished?" she asked softly, her voice laced with fatigue.

"For tonight." He reached out and ran his hand through her soft, pink hair, because to be close to her and not touch her seemed like a sinful waste of opportunity.

She was already dressed for bed, having finished her part in tonight's assignment a little before him, but she'd contributed to no small extent. Her quick thinking and perceptiveness were two qualities that stood out amongst many others; she'd done her share of guard duties this summer and, through her observation of the Dursleys, had been able to formulate a scheme for removing the family from Privet Drive that would be irresistible to them.

"You did excellent work tonight, thank you. I think you've hatched the perfect plot."

He chuckled slightly at the memory of her youthful enthusiasm as she'd fine-tuned the plan, and her glee that it would not only do the trick but carried the added bonus of 'wiping that sodding smirk off the ignorant Muggles' faces'.

"Doesn't it worry you, though?" There was a glimmer of mischief twinkling behind heavy-lidded eyes as she lifted her head and moved to sit up.

Remus raised his eyebrow in question.

"That your girlfriend can scheme like that so easily," she clarified.

"In light of your profession, it only serves to make me all the more confident that you can find your way out of a sticky situation."

He had to admit that he found her abilities as an Auror deeply attractive, not only because it implicitly meant he had a partner for interesting conversation, but on a much deeper, yet more basic level, he found it…Well, he found it downright sexy.

"And don't forget, my dear," Remus continued, "that I'm not above a little scheming myself. It's just another one of the reasons I believe we might just be the perfect match."

The beaming smile she'd fixed him with shrank to the small one he'd come to love so well on her as she leant into his hand when it curled round the base of her neck, his thumb scuffing her cheek; Remus wondered if he'd ever cease to be amazed by the softness of her skin, or indeed, her reaction to his touch.

"Are you ready for bed?" she asked.

Her words, spoken almost shyly, invoked a quiet thrill at the realisation that all the dreams he'd had of falling asleep with her in his arms, and of waking up beside her the following morning would become a reality. Since the very first time he'd kissed her, Remus had not been able to resist wondering what it would be like to share a bed with her; it was with anticipation for the right moment that he'd waited for it, becoming more certain as each day passed that the opportunity would present itself in time.

Her question, though, also bought the realisation that he wasn't entirely sure how the arrangement was going to work; through all his solitary musings, he'd never considered the now very pressing question of what she might expect. In spite of this new and sudden concern he nodded affirmatively at her.

"Me too." She sat up with a yawn, and then stood -- so close that he was unable to resist the temptation to lean in and kiss her. "I've left a t-shirt and a pair of trackie bottoms for you on the bed."

"These clothes," Remus said in the most suspicious tone he could muster, as he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her body flush against his. "I trust that I'm not going to find myself in a situation where the first time my girlfriend sees me in nightwear it's in hot pink trousers and a Weird Sisters t-shirt."

"Trust is very important in a relationship." She looked up at him impishly, waggling her eyebrows at him.

"I agree, only I'm not sure, in this case, if I ought to be trusting that you'll take the opportunity for mischief on every possible occasion, or trust that you'd not force me to wear something that will do no justice what-so-ever to the colour of my eyes."

Laughing, Tonks said, "Put yourself out of your misery and go and change. I'll just get us some water, then I'll be right in." She leant forward for another kiss and then turned, heading for the kitchen.

Remus watched her for a few seconds -- admiring the way the shaped turquoise camisole hugged her waist, leaving tantalising glimpses of the smooth skin of her hips that disappeared into loose fitting pink and white stripped bottoms -- before he walked into the bedroom.

He'd been in her bedroom only once before, the very first time he'd come over -- for their second date, and she'd insisted on giving him the full tour -- which really only consisted of a few waves of her hand around the open plan living and kitchen area, a quick peek in the bathroom, poking their heads round the bedroom door, and instructions on where to find the tea.

It wasn't a large room, he thought, as he pulled the door close behind him, and the bed -- covered by a light duvet in rich jewel tones -- seemed to dominate it -- an observation that ever-so-slightly increased the nerves Remus felt for what might happen. His eyes fell to the small pile of clothes at the foot of the bed, he felt a broad smile leak across his face. Both the t-shirt and bottoms were neatly folded, not an inch of fabric was out of place, it was obvious to Remus that she'd taken care in their presentation.

For him.

Even though he'd have been more amused than anxious, had the clothing turned out to be less than in keeping with his usual attire, he could deny he felt a measure of relief to see plain, black trousers in a thin fabric that wouldn't be too warm for the evening and an oversized red t-shirt.

As he unbuttoned his shirt, his thoughts returned to pondering the question of Tonks' expectations about tonight -- or if she had any at all. He was almost certain that, had they not been interrupted earlier, they'd have taken another great leap in their relationship. It was a step he very much wanted to take, but now it was getting late; they were both tired and probably a little overwhelmed. He couldn't help but think that perhaps tonight wasn't the night for their first time.

Now standing in nothing but his underpants -- and feeling more than a little self-conscious of the fact he was as good as naked in Tonks' bedroom -- Remus reached for the t-shirt and pulled it over his head. As he stepped into the bottoms, he debated the wisdom of bringing the subject up. It did occur to him that laying clothes out for him might be telling. Then again, clothes put on could always be taken off.

If they didn't speak about it, he was quite sure the issue would hang thick in the air between them; at least, certainly _he_ would be wondering.

But what if Tonks hadn't considered it? Would it be too forward to assume that sex was on her mind? He might insert awkwardness between them, rather than dissolve it.

A shuffling and a muttered _oh bugger_ outside the door stirred Remus from his thoughts. He strode to the door and pulled it open to find Tonks, obviously post-stumble, struggling to regain her balance and prevent the water in the glasses she held in both hands sloshing over the sides. He took a single step forward to lend a supporting hand underneath her elbow, and relieved her of one of the glasses.

"Thanks," she said, giving him a rueful smile.

Once certain she'd fully regained her equilibrium and placed a kiss on her forehead in the hope of reassuring her that he didn't mind her clumsiness, Remus went to place the glass on the bedside table, and then set about carefully folding his clothes.

"Thank you for sparing my blushes and lending me respectable-looking night wear," he tossed over his shoulder."

"Least I could do," came the reply, but something didn't sound quite right; there was a certain dullness to her voice that didn't sound like Tonks he knew, as though something else was on her mind.

He turned back to her: she was standing near the end of the bed, nervously toying with a frayed tassel on the throw that was draped across foot of the bed. She did indeed look worried, pensive.

"Is something the matter?" Remus asked with a frown as he moved to stand closer to her. He wondered for a moment if she was as unsure as he was. And his mind waged a new war, now wondering if he should step in and soothe her unease by bringing it up himself, or if again, it would be presumptuous to assume that was the cause of the problem.

When he took another step closer she looked up at him suddenly, as though his proximity was a surprise to her. With a wide smile he could tell she didn't quite feel, she replied, a little too quickly, "No, nothing." Her eyes darted down to her fingers, which were still twisting in the fabric, her hand fell to her side immediately.

Somewhat troubled, Remus lifted his own hand to her chin and tilted her face up to his. "No," he said. "I can tell, something _is_ bothering you. You can tell me, love."

He hoped he hadn't visibly reacted, but Remus reeled as the term of endearment rolled comfortably off his tongue. It almost seemed natural progression, after earlier in the day but to move so seamlessly to this familiar term of address seemed too easy to be real.

"I know," she said, after releasing a shaky breath that was just ever-so-slightly tinged with what Remus though might have been self-recriminating laughter. "I'm being silly." She took a deep breath. "I just…I mean, I'm not sure…" She rolled her eyes at herself in what appeared to be frustration. "I just don't want us to be wondering about what the other expects here tonight."

So that _was_ it.

Relieved that she did indeed have the same concerns that he did -- and by her manner, he could easily guess that her thoughts on the matter largely mirrored his -- Remus took a deep breath and silently berated himself for worrying that they might not be on the same page on this topic, and for leaving it up to her to actually raise the subject.

"I have no expectations," he said softly. "Just to stay here with you tonight is enough." He held his arms out for her and she stepped closer to him so he could fold her against his chest. "It's not that I don't want to," Remus continued. "I do, very much. But I want it to be at the right time and not something we do because we feel we ought to -- after earlier. Whether that's tonight, tomorrow or next week or next month, it doesn't matter, there's no rush."

He felt her relax against him. "Sorry for getting all silly about it," she mumbled into his t-shirt..

"Don't apologise," he replied with a huff of laughter as he tightened his arms around her. "I was worrying about it, too."

"Really?" Tonks asked, sounding amused and turning her head up to meet his gaze.

"I was wondering whether to bring it up when you walked -- or I should say stumbled…" He chucked as she nudged him with her shoulder in half-hearted reproof. "…into the room.

"I should have kept quiet then. Left it up to you."

They both laughed, but Tonks brought them back to sobriety, her eyes darkened, and facial muscles tightened as she tamed the grin that had moments before danced across her face. She said, "We shouldn't ever be afraid to tell each other things, should we?"

"Never," Remus replied. There was something about her expression; something telling in her tone that made him realise she wanted him to take the lead in this. He'd worried that to set the pace tonight would be too forward, since he was essentially a guest in her house, but it was merely technicality, and Tonks, for all the modern images she projected, still desired to be led by him.

With that in mind, and buoyed by her words, he summoned the courage to suggest, "So it's perfectly fine for me to tell you that I'd really like to suggest that we climb into bed and curl up together?"

Tonks reached up to press a kiss to the underside of his chin. "I think that's an excellent suggestion."

She turned out of his embrace, grabbing a hand as she went, with a jolly _come on, then_ and dragged him to the head of the bed. Remus chucked at her eagerness, thinking how typically Tonks it was to wait for a lead only to barrel full steam ahead. In any case, he was grateful to Tonks for making the first physical move towards climbing into bed; he really was keen not to overstep the boundaries, even if Tonks had indicated there were none. On this first night, he just felt he needed a little time to settle in to this new development in their relationship.

She pulled back the covers and slipped underneath, scooting across to the other side of the bed to make room for him to slide in beside her, which he did with enthusiasm.

He turned to her -- both of them still sitting up, the duvet pooled in their laps -- and stretched an arm across the pillow inviting her to settle against him. She did so immediately, and Remus eased their bodies further down the bed.

The comforting weight of the duvet above him, the solid feel of her body against his side, her arm draped across his chest, and the undeniably glorious sensation of her leg sliding between his thighs elicited a sigh of deep contentment from Remus as he revelled in his first experience of lying in bed with Tonks; taking in every sensation that the new experience had to offer.

As he lay, he looked down at the mass of soft pink spikes that tickled his chin and the delicate curl of her fingers as she rested her hand on his chest, Remus, for the thousandth time since he'd met Tonks, thanked his lucky stars for all that she was and for all that her coming into his life had given him…And, he felt sure, would continue to give him.

He reached up to cradle her cheek with his palm and eased her face closer to his. Their lips moulded together in a lingering kiss, moving slowly, before pressing more insistently. As much as Remus loved the feel of her tongue moving against his, the taste of her and the passion that rose and swelled from deep kisses, this unhurried and lazy movement of their mouths left him utterly lost to everything but the touch of her lips.

By the time they pulled apart, both of them were breathless. He remained very close to her face, he could feel the staccato pulse of her quickened breaths on his; her lips were puffy and red, her eyes dilated and shining. Intimate moments did not afford him the luxury of thought, but in the quietude of their wake, Remus was always able to ponder the wonder at the change she'd brought about in his life.

Few events had affected him quite like the life altering moment when he'd met Tonks for the first time; receiving his Hogwarts letter, the events of Halloween 1981, and his return to Hogwarts in 1993. Only one of those had ever offered permanence: a life without his friends. How he hoped that this most recent event would offer an enduring change: a lifetime with her.

In just six short weeks, his life had changed beyond all compare. Existence had become not now a question of waiting for the next moon, but rather, a case of waiting for the next time he saw her; and now, for the next time he would lay beneath blankets, with her in his arms. How much he had to look forward to --

_She'd said she loved him._

The thought of a life together, as one: a unit, meant everything to him. He wanted to believe it to be possible. It was beyond anything he'd thought attainable, especially with a witch so beautiful, so clever, so vibrant as she.

It would be easy to explain such thoughts away on the fact of his lycanthropy, but it truth he couldn't quite believe that such a girl would give him a second look.

He felt, as well as heard Tonks take a deep sigh. of contentment, that he couldn't help but agree with.

"What was that sigh for?" Remus teased. "Are you already regretting your decision to share your bed space tonight?"

"I'm the one that's draped all over you." Tonks replied. "It was a happy sigh. You're very comfortable."

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Remus pulled her closer, murmuring "That is good to know." into her hair.

Giving him a little squeeze, Tonks replied, "I'm a little tired, though, but we're in the right place for that."

"We certainly are."

Lying like this with her was an entirely different experience to sitting with their arms round one another by a lake, or even to lying close on the sofa. It was more relaxed, somehow, with the cool pillow beneath his head and bodies separated by nothing more than the thin material of their night clothes; every part of her body felt more accessible to him, closer, more comfortable and perfectly fitting together.

Remus shifted slightly, running his hand from her back to her waist where it found warm, exposed skin. He couldn't resist tracing small circles there, delighting at the small tremors that ran through her body as she shivered at his touch. Without really even registering what he was doing, he found his hand moving underneath her top trailing over to the small of her back and up, following the path of her spine.

Already, he was wondering how he'd ever sleep alone again. How could he sleep, while longing for her soft breathing beside him; the light, flowery scent of her shampoo, the comforting weight of her body against his... Really, he would miss everything about her.

He surprised himself with the sudden thought that one night in every four weeks they would have no choice but to sleep apart. It had never occurred to him before now that the werewolf aspect of his life might affect their relationship -- except now, in light of their earlier confession, the prospect of permanence begged the question of how they might cope financially, in the long run. Remus pushed the negative thought aside, quite apart from being a thoroughly unproductive thing to linger on, negativity had no place to interfere with his enjoyment of this moment.

Remus rolled her onto her back, moving himself to lean over her. "It's been quite a day, hasn't it?" he said, sweeping her fringe back from her forehead as he looked down at her. A small thrill passed through him at the sight of both their bodies pressed together and disappearing beneath the duvet.

"It has, a bit," Tonks replied, a grin spreading across her face. "We got busted by Sirius, qualified for Wizarding patience awards for not hexing him at dinner. Then…" she paused as her expression softened. "Then there was that really special bit, and really, right now, we ought not to think about anything that happened after that."

Thinking that he really couldn't agree more, Remus bent to touch his lips to hers. Their kiss was soft and gentle, but no less expressive than the heated ones they'd shared on the couch earlier. The slow movement of their mouths spoke of tenderness and feeling, designed to stir emotion, rather than passion.

Remus had known for several weeks that he loved her; he thought perhaps he'd loved her from the moment they'd met. He'd felt a connection between them from their very first encounter; he found her inquisitive manner charming, her enthusiasm contagious and her easy style of conversation enthralling, but beneath all that he'd discovered a character that was perceptive and caring; passionate and determined. She possessed an intelligence that rivalled Sirius' and James', an energetic spirit to match Lily's; she was everything that he'd ever dreamt it was possible to find in a partner, and he really still couldn't quite believe she'd chosen him.

He ran his tongue along her upper lip one more time, pressed his lips to hers once again and reluctantly lifted his head to look at her -- not that looking at her was any great hardship. The smile she gave him seemed to be one of what he thought to be relaxed satisfaction, and that was exactly how he felt himself.

Remus rolled onto his side and coaxed her on to hers -- facing away from him, before closing the small distance between them and moulding his body around her. He pressed a small kiss to the slender curve of her neck before resting his forehead against the back of her head. He threaded his arm under hers, allowing his palm to splay across her tummy. In a gesture that touched him deeply -- although he had no idea why it should do so -- Tonks brought her hand to rest simply over his.

They lay in silence for a long time -- so long, in fact, that had her hand not remained in the same position he would have been sure that she was asleep.

"If we hadn't got interrupted...I wouldn't have stopped things, you know," Tonks said softly, her voice laced with sleep. "I'm ready, when we get a chance to find the right moment."

Even though Remus had been fairly sure that they had both been in the same frame of mind, her words were a very welcome confirmation and swept away the last vestiges of concern he had on that topic.

He squeezed her gently and whispered back to her, "We'll find the right time."

She hummed softly before pulling the duvet up to her face and settling back against him a little more firmly.

"Love you," she murmured, clearly on the very precipice of sleep, it stuck Remus profoundly how absolutely adorable he found her, and, at the same time he wondered if he would ever fail to be moved by those words tumbling from her lips.

He whispered them back to her and lowered both their hands to the mattress, entwining their fingers. It wasn't long before bright, sunlit memories of laughter and dark eyes, sparkling with honesty and intensity, as lips formed words that were more wonderful than any he could imagine; thoughts of all that had happened and all that could be gave way to closed eyes and the deep, steady breaths of slumber.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I do apologise for the truly shameful length of time it's taken me to update this fic. If you're reading this, I'm assuming you've stuck with me, and I thank you most sincerely for that. I do very much appreciate readers taking the time to let me know what they thought of the fic, so this time, I'm offering to dispatch Remus for reviewers to dress in pyjamas of their choice -- and feel free to take them off again... ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

_**It's getting on for a year since I updated this fic; if any of you have been waiting for it, I do sincerely apologise for the delay, and I hope you enjoy the update. **_

_**This chapter is dedicated to MrsTater, who must also be thanked for a her superb beta skills on this and every other chapter. **_

* * *

_**No Time For Ducking, Chapter 4**_

Tonks was excited -- possibly a little too excited if she had any hope of making a good impression on the individual from whom her excitement originated. In a few hours she would make the acquaintance of none other than Harry James Potter -- surely a hero to Aurors and aspiring Aurors everywhere, and she had been one or the other for as long as she could remember.

She'd been home from work for about two hours, and, once she'd spent some time making her final preparations and checks for the Advance Guard's mission (renewing the anti-tripping charm on her boots, inspecting the balancing charm on her trusty Comet Two Sixty, and double checking the flying coordinates between Privet Drive and Grimmauld Place) she'd turned the wireless on full volume and danced around to the WWN's early-evening Rock-Magical Hour -- partly to check the integrity of her anti-tripping charm (or so she told herself) and partly to give herself something to do other than bouncing off the walls in her anticipation while she waited for Remus to arrive.

They'd both been sorely disappointed not to have had an evening -- or a morning -- to themselves since the news of the Dementor attack on Harry had interrupted them four nights ago. Since then they'd only had snatched time: late night moments between slipping under the sheets and being claimed by sleep after days spent working and evenings locked in planning or attempting to convince Sirius that his presence on the mission was not only unnecessary, but dangerous, too -- a fact that seemed plain to everyone else, and to which Sirius remained stubbornly oblivious; only after several frustrating hours over the past two nights had Remus managed to convince him that Harry would be safe and in capable hands with the Advance Guard they'd put together.

Remus had promised to make it in time for them to share an early supper; they were to dine at Grimmauld Place later that evening but neither of them ever managed more than a quick bite of lunch and one of Mad-Eye's rules was never to embark on a mission with an empty stomach. Of course, Mad-Eye had a caveat that if the food was not prepared by oneself, it was better to risk going hungry, but Remus and Tonks did not suffer the same paranoia and were planning to share a large portion of chips from the chip shop around the corner, which Remus would pick up on his way to her flat. She was expecting him any minute; plates, forks, a couple of glasses of chilled pumpkin juice and a large bottle of tomato ketchup were ready and waiting in the kitchen.

Turning off the wireless with a flick of her wand so she'd hear Remus' knock, Tonks ducked into her bedroom to change. She shucked off her work robes and pulled off the plain-coloured t-shirt she wore, exchanged it for one of her favourite Weird Sisters tour shirts, and pulled on a pair of loose-fitting blue jeans. She opened her wardrobe and grabbed a fresh set of every day robes from a hanger and slung them over her shoulder while she turned to the mirror to inspect her hair, which was still a slightly shocking electric blue she'd morphed that morning.

Her eyes skimmed over her t-shirt and fixed on single letter in brightest violet, her nose scrunched up and her eyes closed as she focused on matching her hair to the colour. When the tell-tale prickle in her scalp had receded, she opened her eyes to inspect her handiwork; turning her head this way and that, she hummed in thought, wondering if the shade was a little too bright for her complexion -- not that she couldn't change that if she wished, but she preferred not to, especially when she was to see Remus.

She'd just taken a deep breath and shut her eyes once again with the intention of darkening her hair just a little bit, when there was a sharp rap at the door. Concerns of a peaky complexion were not severe enough to give her a second thought before bounding towards the front door in eagerness, dropping her robes over the back of the settee as she passed.

Tonks pulled open the door with a wide smile she found mirrored on the face of the man who stood before her with a steaming paper bag under his arm and looking very handsome. Under his robes he wore a dark maroon jumper, collars of a white shirt with faint blue pin stripes peeking out, the top button undone.

"Wotcher," she said, stepping aside to let Remus in.

"Hello," he replied as he walked in the door and set the bag on the table beside the door while he removed his robes. Then he stepped close to Tonks and took her face in his hands, pulling her gently towards him as he inclined his head to place a warm, soft and lingering kiss on her lips.

"Wotcher," she said again when they parted, laughing, wondering if she wasn't swaying slightly on the spot.

Remus laughed with her, or at her, perhaps -- she didn't care -- and said, "I think we covered that, didn't we?"

She hummed in response and then swatted him lightly on the arm. "I've got plates and stuff in the kitchen if you want to bring that through," she said, gesturing towards the package on the table and leading the way to her small kitchen.

"Right you are," Remus said.

Together they unwrapped their food and laid it out on the plates, then settled on the floor leaning back against the settee to eat their chips before they headed out, bound for Grimmauld Place and one very last meeting before setting off to rescue The Boy Who Lived.

* * *

"I can't believe you introduced me as Nymphadora," Tonks hissed as she grabbed one end of Harry's trunk and she and Remus lifted it up to carry it across the square.

"I would have told him you prefer to be called Tonks even if you'd not interrupted me," Remus replied.

"But you're still the reason he knows I'm even forced to bear that hideous name," she shot back.

Remus flashed her a grin that did much to melt through what little irritation she truly felt towards him, in spite of her words, and forgot it entirely when he said:

"I apologise, and I probably wouldn't have dared attempt such an introduction were I not sure I could placate you, or at least distract you with the surprise I have up my sleeve for later on."

"Surprise?" Tonks said, looking up sharply, her tone a reflection of her word.

"Mmm." Remus raised his eyebrows at her, clearly challenging her to ask him a few more questions.

"What kind of surprise?"

"The kind that relies on both of us having a Saturday off, which, I believe, we do."

"I thought you had to do something for Dumbledore tomorrow," Tonks said.

They'd reached the front door now and Moody was ushering them in with a frantic gesture of a gnarled hand while his eye spun wildly in its socket; clearly it had benefitted from its bath at Privet Drive, Tonks thought.

"Later," Remus whispered, as the door closed behind them and the dank, dark atmosphere of Grimmauld Place enveloped them. Tonks wondered if Remus had timed the conversation perfectly to be interrupted at that precise moment, but as they were both caught up in the bustle to make it down the stairs and into the meeting while Molly shooed Harry upstairs, she was left with no opportunity for further questioning.

The meeting passed slowly -- far too slowly -- and after her woefully incomplete conversation with Remus, Tonks found herself waiting for the end of dinner as well as the meeting, where previously she'd looked forward to the meal as an opportunity to get to know Harry a little more. Snape's dreary reports, delivered in superior and sneering tones droned on more insipidly than usual, and even Dumbledore's address failed to capture her interest, though she did manage a genuine smile when he thanked her personally for her part in the rescue mission.

When dinner came and the kids arrived, Tonks was happy to find Harry at a seat opposite her, but with Sirius beside him, and a nagging feeling that she'd made Harry uncomfortable earlier with her dashed curiosity (which she supposed was also to blame for her desire to get to know him now, at dinner) she was at a loss for a suitable opener to conversation; instead, she gratefully gave in to Ginny and Hermione's pleas for a repertory of noses. More than once she caught Remus' gaze as she morphed from one request to another. She was too conscious, though, of attracting Sirius' unwanted and inevitably embarrassing attention to linger too long on Remus' expression to accurately assess his thoughts, and so, when dinner had finished and Sirius had all but challenged Harry to defy Dumbledore's orders to keep information from him, Tonks tried so very hard to contribute a few words and thoughts she hoped would both placate Sirius -- and Harry -- and meet Remus', and hopefully, Dumbledore's approval. Remus, though, she thought, had handled the situation marvellously.

By the time the children were being ushered upstairs by Molly, followed by Arthur, who, Tonks knew, waited at the foot of the stairs each night while his wife made sure their children were tucked in bed, or at least safely in their rooms, and the rest of the kitchen emptied, leaving only Sirius and Remus, Tonks found herself gazing shamelessly at Remus, as he attempted to gently reason with Sirius further.

Not long after silence had, at last, descended over the house, Remus said, "I'm going to take Tonks home. Then I'm off to meet someone for Dumbledore, but I'll be back tomorrow evening sometime."

"Right," Sirius said to the bottom of his second glass of fire whiskey since Molly's departure, which had been recent enough to make Tonks glad they weren't spending the night, even as she felt guilty for thinking as much; but she and Remus, she thought, had put more than enough aside for Sirius and the Order this week that she felt any guilt could be easily forgotten once she was in Remus' arms and with his lips on hers. Assuming that featured in his plans, of course, which she thought was a strong possibility.

Even so, when, not twenty minutes later, Tonks found herself with her back pressed against her front door and Remus' body flush against her, his hands at her waist and his lips on her throat, she was so intensely curious that, for the first time ever, she attempted to push him away; though it was, she had to admit, a half-hearted effort.

"Please," she said, as his teeth just barely grazed her earlobe. "What's the surprise?"

"Let's get inside and I'll tell you." He stepped back, and gestured for her to open the door.

"It's been driving me crazy, all evening, just so you know," Tonks said, looking over her shoulder at Remus, as she unlocked the door and stood aside to let him in ahead of her.

"I do know," he said with a half-smirk as he walked past. "Why'd you think I told you when I did?"

"I never had you down as a cruel man, Remus Lupin," she said. "You will pay--"

But Remus was apparently uninterested in possible retribution when he reached past her, his arm brushing her waist as he pulled the door shut behind her. Tonks breath caught as Remus leaned in slowly and whispered in her ear, "A little anticipation can surely only make things more rewarding, in the end."

Tonks thought she might have managed a squeak in response, but all she could hear was her breath coming in quick snatches and her heart beating firmly in her chest as Remus' lips brushed across the line of her jaw, just stopping shy of the corner of her mouth.

"Can't wait to have you to myself," he said softly, the shape of his words brushing her skin. And then abruptly, he stepped away. "Pack a night bag. We're leaving straight away -- that is, if you want to, of course."

"Where are we going?" Tonks asked, her curiously intensifying as her heart soared at the implication of his words.

"Well," he said, turning to face her, "that's still a secret till we get there -- you'll just have to trust me -- but the night, tomorrow morning and most of the afternoon is ours. I just have a small, five minute job to do around four o'clock."

"For Dumbledore?" she asked, and when Remus nodded, Tonks continued, a little bit in wonder, "But till then...?"

"All ours. Guaranteed."

The thought was wonderful -- it was still only ten o'clock and with the promise of a day off ahead of them, tonight they need not worry about getting an early night. They would be free to...

No further consideration or questioning was necessary. Tonks dashed to her room, first inspecting her underwear drawer and selecting her very best set which she tossed onto the bed, and then plucking her second best co-ordinating bra and knickers and stuffing them, along with a simple cotton nightie (sexy, she thought, but not too much) in a bag she pulled from the space between her dresser and the wall. A pair of robes and a couple of Muggle outfits swiftly followed before she hastily divested herself of her clothes and underwear, which she swapped for the ensemble she'd set aside and then redressed in a fresh t-shirt and the same pair of jeans. She was still pulling a black cardigan over her arms when she exited the bedroom, her bag in one hand as she look to Remus with an excitement that didn't even compare to that which she'd experienced earlier.

Funny, she thought, how love changes your priorities. Just a few months ago she'd have considered nothing more worthy of excitement than the prospect of meeting Harry Potter.

She stepped out of her bedroom to find Remus perusing the books on her shelf. "All ready," she announced, then watched him turn, cheeks full with smile.

"Come on then," he said, taking one step towards the door and holding out his arm for her.

Bags swung over their shoulders, they walked out into the hallway, and Tonks turned for a moment to invoke the charms that would, with grace, keep her home safe in their absence.

Laughing and giddy they made swift movements down the stairs and out the front door, where Remus wrapped his arms around her and told her in a whispered warning to prepare herself to Apparate.

When the gripping sensation of Apparition had left her, leaving Remus' arms around her as the only pressure on her body, Tonks opened her eyes to a world that was now dusty with shadowed light; they must have travelled north. They were concealed in leafy undergrowth, not far, she could see, from a wide path. As quietly as could be, Remus, keeping a solid grip on both her arms, guided her out of the bushes to the path, which, she could immediately tell, was a crudely made road; just to the left of them was an iron footbridge that spanned a coastal inlet just wide enough to allow a small boat to pass. A sign, with far too many consonants for good sense, told her they'd arrived in Wales.

The wind, not harsh, but insistent, combed through her hair, and she felt it giving rise to a pinkish tinge in her cheeks and goose bumps on her arms; the sound of boat rigging singing on the air currents lent an atmosphere of calm through the impatient, breezy gusts.

Remus' voice came softly in her ear: "This way," he said, guiding her towards the bridge. At the first sight of the building before her she turned to him, mouth agape.

"It's pink," she said.

"Yes," Remus said, his eyes twinkling with amusement and something more noteworthy: pleasure in her reaction, she thought.

"Bubblegum pink"

"Yes."

"I love it."

"I thought you might," he said, smiling down at her.

"How on earth did you find it?"

"There's a group of researchers on Anglesey I had occasion to visit a few months ago. You'll see when we get inside that the hotel is set on the top of a cliff that looks directly through the Menai Straits, on a clear day it's easily visible from the coast opposite. It was almost too perfect when Dumbledore asked me to come here this weekend."

She felt him take a step towards her and gently nudge his hip against hers as he inclined his head and, almost conspiratorially, said, "They call it the Pink Palace locally, you know. How'd you fancy being its Pink Princess for the night?"

"I dunno about the princess bit, but pink I can do." She grinned up at him.

"Would it be too corny if I said that you're my pink princess?"

"Probably," Tonks said, her grin widening, "but I like the sentiment all the same."

"Good. Shall we go in?"

Tonks nodded and, hand in hand, they set off across the bridge, their foots steps ringing a low metallic tune on the cast iron grill below them, a counterpoint accompaniment to the chink of steel rope rigging against hollow metal masts, which, Tonks saw as they walked, was drawn from a small marina the inlet swelled and widened into.

"I'm afraid it's not quite as pink on the inside, but I'm told the rooms are very nice and we do have a sea view."

As Tonks marvelled at the perfection of Remus' 'surprise,' a slight pang of concern for who was paying for this and how flitted across her mind, though she knew to ask would be to risk ruining the mood. Perhaps the answer would present itself in due course and in any case, it wasn't something they couldn't sort out once they were home with precious memories.

"D'you think we'll be able to see anything tonight?" she asked.

"I reckon we'll be in time to see a few long shadows across the water."

They'd reached the front door by then; Remus stepped ahead to pull the it open and gestured for Tonks to go ahead of him. She walked in slowly, taking in her surroundings: the rich, but probably not genuine, Indian rug in the centre of the room on top of which sat two low coffee tables surrounded by old fashioned leather love seats. To her right, a bar made of untreated pine stretched along the back wall, propped up by a weathered-looking man with heavy boots, tatty clothes and a friendly face; he smoked a cigarette and drank long from a pint of dark ale. He regarded them with casual interest over the top of his pint glass and through tendrils of smoke curling from the cigarette that hung lazily from his fingers.

Remus, his hand at the small of her back, guided her to the left, to a reception desk that was considerably more ornate than it's beverage-serving counterpart. There seemed to be no one around but the man with his pint, not even a barmaid in sight. Remus raised his hand to hit the bell that sat to one side of the desk, but before he had the chance to press it, the man spoke up.

"No need; they'll not be long," he said with a light accent, "Mary's just gone to tap a barrel of this stuff." He raised his glass slightly. "So I'll not be out tomorrow, or drinking beer that's cloudy as stormy sea water."

"Thank you," Remus said, setting his bag on the floor, and indicating that Tonks should do the same with hers. "Good tipple, is it?"

"Best you'll find for a good few miles, an' they take good care of it here."

"We should try some, Remus," Tonks said.

"Proper taste of Wales, it'd be. Every Englishman ought to have that education." His tone was jocular and his eyes twinkled; clearly he meant no harm but it was just as clear that the English were fair game on his territory. Which, Tonks thought, was probably only fair in return.

"Well, we're only here for the night, but I always think it's only right to sample the local brew."

"You've got a good man, there." The man addressed Tonks this time. She laughed, wondering if she should really add an adventurous attitude to regional ale to the extensive list of Remus' good qualities. She was just formulating a response went a door opened behind the bar and a middle-aged woman with greying, blonde hair stepped through.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she called, then turned to address her regular. "Don't suppose it occurred to you to give me a shout, Huw? Honestly. Making my guests wait because I'm attending your precious brew."

"They'll be tasting it, too, Mary. I've just been telling them what good beer you keep, don't you worry," Huw said, turning on a smile Tonks had a feeling had charmed many a female before now, judging by Mary's reaction of a loud tut issued against a smile of her own.

When she reached the desk, she offered Remus and Tonks a welcoming smile; her face was warm and friendly, with dimples in her cheeks and large brown eyes and she had a mothering air that reminded Tonks of Molly. "Mr. Lupin, is it?" she asked, shuffling through some paperwork.

A wicked thought popped into Tonks' mind and before she had a chance to talk herself out of it, she piped up. "_Professor_ Lupin."

She allowed herself a sideways glance at Remus along with the very slightest of mischievous smiles, though it might have been more of a smirk.

"I'm sorry, Professor--"

"Really, there's no need--" Remus started.

"Good to get these things right, though, isn't it?" Mary said cheerfully.

"I always say if you've got a respectable name you should use it," Tonks said.

"Depends on one's definition of a respectable name, doesn't it, _Nymphadora_?"

"Nymphadora?" Mary said, as Tonks groaned inwardly. Trust Remus to turn the tables like that; though could she rightfully complain when it was one of the things that had first attracted her to him?

"What a beautiful and unusual name." Mary's voice was gushing, and almost too much for Tonks to take.

"My mother certainly thinks so," she said dryly.

If Mary sensed displeasure in her tone she didn't let on, but offered Remus a pale pink card and a pen, asking him to fill out the registration form.

"I see you're running with a theme," Tonks said, indicating the card.

"Oh, yes." Mary said with a chuckle. "Have to, really. And I see we have our guests contributing, too, now." Her eyes drifted up to Tonks' hair.

Tonks laughed. "I am rather fond of pink. Brightens up the world a bit, don't you think?"

"Surely there aren't enough pink hotels in the world, or pink-haired girls," Mary replied.

Remus looked up from the form and said, "But if there were too many of them, they wouldn't be so special." His eyes found hers and held just long enough for Tonks to start to feel a bit dizzy, all recollection of his recent treachery swiftly fleeing from her brain cells at a rate of knots.

Turning back to the form, Remus signed it with a flourish and handed it over to Mary, who barely gave it a glance before handing over a key with a large wooden tag that bore the number four. She pointed them through a door and gave directions to their room.

Remus picked up their bags and they both thanked her, turning as they called 'goodnight' to Huw at the bar; they walked across the room and through the door.

Remus took Tonks' hand, threading his fingers between hers, and led her up the flight of stairs they found just where Mary'd said they be. With each step they rose, so did Tonks' excitement, anticipation: for her first sight of the room with a view and for everything else.

They found the room easily and Tonks stood close behind Remus, two fingers of her free hand draped through a belt loop on his trousers; he inserted the key in the lock and turned it while Tonks held her breath.

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**__ About this time last year I was sent to Wales on a business trip. When I returned I told **MrsTater** all about my adventures in the pink hotel on the top of cliffs that overlook the Menai Straits (which included writing a section of chapter three of this fic in the bar) and if memory serves, she was rather emphatic in her assertion that I must write a fic in which Remus and Tonks go to the pink hotel, and so I decided to do it for Ducking. This chapter is dedicated to **MrsTater** for that reason, for being this Remus' biggest cheerleader and for being a wonderful friend. _

_Thank you very much for reading. I'd love to know what you thought of it, if you have a few moments to let me know. Reviewers will be offered the chance of a romantic weekend away with Remus. :)_


	5. Chapter 5

Many, many thanks to **MrsTater** for listening to me ramble on about this fifth and final chapter and for a super beta job. :) **Please take note of the new rating.**

**No Time for Ducking, Chapter Five**

Ridiculously, Remus felt his heart quicken as he turned the key in the lock; he might easily blame it on Tonks' position, hanging onto a belt loop on his trousers, her body pressed against him and her warm hand still grasped in his, but he knew that the root cause of his heart's increase in tempo lay in the knowledge of what awaited them on the other side of the door.

A day, a night alone together -- all at once it seemed like an eternity and not nearly long enough; but on this brink it was much more than he might have dared to hope for just a few days ago, before this fortuitous errand had lent the opportunity to get away (with all expenses paid, no less) and when the gravity of their responsibilities to the Order had seemed heavy enough to keep them permanently occupied without the chance for respite.

Tonight, though, they could -- would -- forget about the Order, about Sirius and his increasingly unmanageable behaviour, about rescue missions and gloomy houses necessarily protected by the Fidelis Charm; instead, their focus would be gloriously singular in pursuit of the hopes, the desires they'd whispered sleepily to each other late at night or early in the morning beneath slumber-warmed sheets.

It was, he concluded, enough to make any man's heart leap.

The lock turned with a satisfyingly heavy clunk, and Remus pushed the door open a crack. He removed the key from the lock and placed it in his pocket, then looked down at Tonks, quickly taking in the features of her face that had become so familiar, so dear to him; her lips were curled in a quiet smile, and he felt sure her thoughts matched his.

Squeezing her hand gently, Remus pushed the door open and stepped through, with Tonks close behind him. He had the advantage of a few seconds to see that the room lived up to all expectations: it was light and airy, with a magnolia carpet and a high ceiling; the bed was king size and low, a cream-coloured duvet beneath a luxurious burgundy bed spread that was folded to half way down the bed; the furniture was simple but elegant: a glass-topped dressing table ran the length of the wall to their right, and matching bedside tables bore reading lamps; at the window were two wing-backed chairs with an oval coffee table between them; the window itself was large -- floor to ceiling -- and opened out onto a narrow balcony, which Remus could just make out in the failing light.

Remus had expected Tonks to walk into the room in full exploration mode, perhaps eager to catch the shadowy last of the view from the window, before their vista was swallowed by darkness, but when the lock clicked shut behind them, he heard her exhale a long sigh and felt her pulling him back towards her. He turned, placing their bags on the floor as he did so, then her arms went about his neck and she buried her face in his chest as his own arms naturally threaded about her waist and pulled her close. She held him tightly, her cheek pressed firmly against him.

"What's this for?" Remus murmured into her hair, nuzzling down to press a kiss on her forehead. He half expected her to laugh and offer a jokey response about never needing an excuse for a cuddle.

"I'm just glad we're here. Alone," she said. "And I don't mean _here_ here...Just..."

"Alone." Remus finished her sentence.

He felt her nod against his chest, and just caught her softly uttered '_at last_' before she tightened her hold briefly, then leaned back slightly to look up at him.

"Since we are _here_ here," Remus said, smoothing her fringe back from her face. "Do you want to look around, see what's to be seen from our room with a view?"

"I do," Tonks said, her serious tone gone, replaced by a more typical earnest enthusiasm. Remus released her from the circle of his arms and let her take his hand to pull him over to the window. As they walked across the room, Tonks' hand skimmed the satiny fabric of the bed spread, her head turned this way and that as she took in their surroundings; when she threw Remus a brief glance over her shoulder, he could see that her eyes were sparkling with delight. Weekends away, even meals out would always be frequently beyond Remus means, and while it was true that he was not footing the bill for this trip, he'd carefully chosen the location, put effort into planning it, and so Tonks' pleasure became his.

When they reached the window, Remus used his wand to turn the lights out; the scene outside was cast into murky relief against the backdrop of a darkened sky. Early stars twinkled high in the sky which still clung on to a hue of delicate yellow at the horizon and juncture with the sea which seemed to rock slightly in tones of grey and steely blue. The island opposite was a mere shadow that loomed menacingly over the water, cragged cliffs rising up into the encroaching night.

"Wow," Tonks said. "It's beautiful, and I can't even see half of it!"

Remus laughed and said, "You'll see it tomorrow." With both hands on her hips, he pulled her back towards him until her weight rested fully against him; he wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his head gently against the side of hers. Tonks in turn, placed both of her hands on his where they clasped over her stomach, and there they stood, watching midnight blue filter down from high in the sky until it met the horizon, drawing a curtain on the day.

Remus had rarely felt so peaceful, so content.

"I feel like my shoulders have dropped about three inches," Tonks said, rolling them slightly as though to test her theory.

"So you won't be needing me to give them a rub for you, then?" Remus teased.  
"I didn't say that," she replied, wiggling out of his arm to turn and look once more at the room. "Remus!" she squealed, "this place is amazing!" She took two steps towards the bed, turned and sat, flopping back to lay down, her feet still on the floor.

"Bed comfy?" he asked, moving to stand in front of her at the side of the bed.

"Very," Tonks replied with an affirmative nod, and then she scooted back further on the bed and held her hands out to him; he took them, and she pulled him down with her, moving her legs so he came to rest between them, their hips pressed together. He placed one elbow on the bed, just above her shoulder, let the other hand drift through her hair, watching the pink locks fall through his fingers until his gaze dropped to her face. She was watching him intently, her eyes on his; she smiled invitingly, and Remus dipped his head to touch his lips to hers.

He kissed her languidly, letting every part of her invade his senses: her soft lips, the scent of her skin, the feel of her body moving beneath him as she kissed him back, and then the taste of her as their lips parted and the kiss deepened, drawing sighs from both of them that mixed and hung in the air around them as the room seemed to increase in warmth by several degrees. Again and again he kissed her, unable to stop, without a care or thought to.

Against his plans to wait, to at least unpack and crack open a bottle of wine before they reached this point, Remus realised there was no longer a _reason_ to wait, no need for planning or to involve any conscious thought that didn't stem from the beautiful, amazing woman beneath him and the way she made him feel, because this, now, was their time, and they were gloriously unrestrained by responsibility or anyone's wishes but their own.

His hands grew bolder, abandoning the paths they'd traced on her neck, through her hair, and instead, worked their way underneath her t-shirt, seeking out the warm and soft skin that lay beneath, as his lips replaced his fingers on her neck.

It felt to Remus that every step in their relationship had come so very naturally to them: from the easy flirtation that marked their first meeting, to the night, one week later, during which confidences were exchanged without hesitation, and which ended with a kiss that was effortless and mutual in initiation, and to the evening earlier this week, when the words _I love you_ had come as naturally as breath. With the perspective of this moment, her body beneath him and time in front of him, in his grasp, Remus knew that making love with her for the first time was going to be no different.

This time, though, he needed to be sure of her mind. "Is this okay?" he whispered into the crook of her neck.

She coaxed his head up with her hand, drawing him to look at her: her face was flushed, eyes impossibly bright; though lips moist and reddened, she replied, "I want you. More than anything."

It was all Remus could do not to groan with heavy longing at her words, so once again he kissed her, kissed her as he never had before with all the emotion she stirred in him: love, hope, need, want.

Before long, nothing lay between them, barriers broken down. It was almost beyond Remus' comprehension that he was finally lying like this with her, his hands free to touch any part of her he wanted. But more than that, he now knew how her breasts felt beneath his palms, that she had a tiny mole just beneath her rib cage that seemed to him like a beauty spot; he knew the kind of sounds she made when he touched her, the way she moved in response, and it was that, more than anything, which he savoured.

He gathered her in his arms; felt her skin hot beneath his, her chest rising and falling rapidly. He kissed every inch of her he could reach: her face, her neck, collarbone and shoulder and then, as he looked straight into her eyes, his hips pushed down and her body opened to him.

For a moment, he was overwhelmed, both by the sheer intensity of pleasure that pulsed through him, even as they lay still within each other's arms and the less tangible but equally strong sense of completion in the ultimate intimacy in physical togetherness.

His hand shook as he brought it up to Tonks' cheek, his fingers unsteady as he pushed a lock of hair back from her forehead, taking in everything she was in that moment, reading in her face, and the way she held him to her so very tightly, that she was every bit as moved as he.

There was only one thing he could say to her in such a moment.

"I love you too," she whispered back, her fingers threading into his hair and pulling his head down to hers. They kissed tenderly, and then more deeply, tongues sliding together as they began to move.

It truly felt like the culmination of everything that had led up to this moment, this demonstrative act of love, where words had begun to fail. With her, he felt, he'd laid himself more open than with any other person, and now, new, stronger trust was forged in the honesty of the expression; Remus didn't trouble to hide anything from her: his pleasure in her, his feelings for her -- they were hers to know and share, and she gave him so much in return.

Moments after Tonks' body seized and shook in climax, her arms tightly about him and her quiet gasps in his ear, Remus felt himself go -- he'd never had such a profound and acute sense of sharing a space and an experience so completely with another person that it almost eclipsed the shudders that ran in pulses through his body. Half-unintelligible whispers fluttered between them, her breath came rushed and hot on the side of his face as they rode it out together.

Stillness gripped them afterwards -- relative stillness, anyway, in contrast to their frantic movements and breathless cries of moments before.

"Oh," Tonks said. Her voice was quiet, reverent almost, but it rang clear through the sound of his heart thundering in his chest and his breath, rushed and heavy against the moist skin of her neck. He didn't have the wherewithal to formulate his thoughts into words, but Remus did know that he agreed wholeheartedly with her assessment and could put it no better himself.

He lifted his head and looked at her for a moment: her face was flushed, almost radiant, her brow was covered with a fine mist of perspiration. He pressed his lips to her forehead, the side of her nose and then her lips.

As well as all that had gone before, it was now, this moment that Remus had looked forward to so much over the last few weeks; kissing her lazily without thought or direction, his body completely relaxed and touching every part of her, a sense of satisfaction and a feeling of completion in his every pore. Even though he'd made plans for the evening, he couldn't help but feel that the way things had turned out had been perfect: un-choreographed and without artifice, just the two of them letting events drift along their natural course.

When he finally did speak, he managed only one more word than she had -- and he'd borrowed one from her: "Oh, Nymphadora," he sighed, as he buried his face once again in her neck.

He heard her giggle. "For a minute there," she said, "I thought you'd dropped that and were going for something somewhat shorter. I definitely heard you call me 'Dora.'"

"Didn't mean to," Remus replied. He kissed her neck. "Just it's a bit hard to get four syllables out at such a moment. I'll try to do better next time."

"Actually, I think I rather like you calling me 'Dora'." He looked up sharply to see Tonks biting her lip with a half shy, half coy smile. "Bit more intimate than 'Tonks' isn't it? And a lot less likely to get you in my bad books than 'Nymphadora'."

"You want me to call you Dora?" he asked.

"I do."

"Then I shall...my Dora." Their lips were separated by less than an inch, Tonks -- Dora's fingers slipped into his hair and eased his head down so their lips met. He sank into the kiss, drowning himself in everything that she was.

In all his life he'd never found all that he had in just seven short weeks with her, never had so much hope for the future; and he did allow himself to hope -- hope as he never had done before; it was more than his mind had the power to stop, intoxicating -- he only ever wanted more of her.

It was only when Tonks ran her nails lightly up his back, causing goose bumps to erupt and a shiver to run down his spine that Remus noticed the slight chill in the room, and became sensible of the fact that they were both naked and lying on top of the covers.

"I realise you're probably all warm, tucked down there, anyway," Remus said, running his hand over her forehead and though her hair, "but it's getting a little chilly up here -- what do you say to getting into bed properly?"

"Mmm," Tonks said and kissed the underside of his chin. "Bit lazy of us not to bother getting under the covers in the first place." Every few words, she placed another kiss to his face.

Remus lifted himself up on his elbow and looked down at her, his eyes taking in their positions; her breasts, nipples hardening once again as they were exposed to the cooler air in the room; the point their skin met and pressed together down to where their bodies remained joined and their legs tangled together; her smile, beaming up at him, eyes alive. Despite all the evidence that pointed towards her satisfaction, Remus heard himself saying:

"I'm sorry if we rushed that a bit. I wanted it to be perfect -- I had plans, but..." He shrugged slightly. "It's so easy to get lost in you."

"It was perfect, Remus. I can't quite believe how good it felt, how much I wanted it."

"Good," Remus murmured against her lips, "because I couldn't bring myself to regret what just happened."

"You know," Tonks said when she was able to. "Not having much notice of this little trip, I didn't have much time for planning myself, but did think I might woo you with a few select choices from my lingerie drawer -- I won't bother with the underwear, but I could go and put the nightie on -- I'll let you take it off again whenever you want."

Remus swallowed. "Then who am I to spoil your plans?" He kissed her once. "How about you go and change, and I'll see to my plans and I'll meet you back here?"

"Sounds like a grand plan to me," Tonks said.

Remus started to lift himself from her body, with the intention of rolling onto his back, but her hand at the base of his neck stopped him; she pulled his head down and kissed him deeply, so he threaded his arms underneath her and rolled them both, letting his hands wander up and down her back, over her bottom and the back of her thighs.

It was a good minute before Tonks broke the kiss to murmur against his lips: "You're right, it is cold up here."

A few minutes later, Remus was padding about the room wearing his boxer shorts; he placed a bottle of magically chilled wine on the table by his side of the bed and added two glasses beside it. He'd turned on the lights while he unpacked his bag, but now he flicked the switch back off, leaving the room flickering with warm light from the glow of half a dozen candles he'd charmed to float above the dressing table and by the window.

When Tonks came out the bathroom it was to leave Remus spellbound at the sight of her in a simple cotton nightdress that left a good deal of her bare for him to see and the rest an easy task for his imagination to fill in. Her face lit up her eyes glanced over the candles and alit on the wine, but he waved her exclamations of delight aside and said, "Sit down and let me look at you." He gestured towards the bed.

Tonks laughed but followed his directions and Remus moved to stand in front of her. His eyes barely left her as he took a glass from the bedside table, filled it and handed it to her and then filled the other glass for himself and sat down beside her.

His glass poised to make a toast, Remus paused; there were a million things he could have said to her, a thousand emotions that coursed though him at the sight of her, at the memory of what they'd shared, the ever clearer picture of the future. Her expression, though, as his eyes found and settled upon hers, told him that she knew, that this was very much a shared experience and so he touched his glass to hers and simply said, "To us."

Tonks echoed him and they both took a sip. Elaboration on those laden words would happen later.

And it did.

In the eager manner in which they both moved to crawl under the sheets, laughing as they held their glasses high to keep them from spilling; in the way they sat against each other, tumbling though conversation that bounced between the ridiculous and the grave; in each and every kiss one bestowed on the other at odd intervals; in the way kisses pushed chatter out the way and wine glasses onto tables as they once again set about exploring each other's body, learning the pleasure of the other, as thoughts gave way to glorious sensation, feeling.

With Tonks in his arms and hers firmly about him, Remus felt whole and strong in a way he'd never felt before. He knew very well that duty and responsibility would again, and many times, thunder down on them and neither would be able to shirk the pledge that they'd given to the Order, and unbeknownst to them, the wider Wizarding community, but he also knew while they might dip beneath the surface of duty, it would always be to resurface, to seek solace and be restored by the strength that was gifted in this powerful thing they called 'love'. And in this uncertain world there was no time for ducking that.

_**The End**_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**__ And that's the end of Ducking. Thank you so very much to everyone who's stuck with my erratic posting schedule and has offered encouraging words along the way. I do intend to write other stories in 'Ducking Verse', the first of which will cover their first meeting and the following week._

To all putting finger to keyboard and leaving a review I will dispatch Remus with a bottle of wine; unfortunately, he'll have to rush back to Tonks, but he will want to stop by to say hi and thanks. ;)


End file.
